Afterwards

[Iron Dragoon]

"There are significant requirements and tests. I think Dolmaya and Emily might have the best shot at it, right now. I may be able to set myself up for it as well. But the two of you have less work to do on that front than I, at the moment."

[Anastasia]

You...do remember the book originally came from Io, right?

[Iron Dragoon]

Yeah but I got it from Moore and didn't Io say the details weren't exact to him?

[Anastasia]

Okay, just wanted to make sure you remembered.

'I agree,' Io concurs.

"If I want to," Emily's quieter about it, "It's so much responsibility if you succeed, Alyssa. My Mom's always answering prayers, hundreds and hundreds at a time. Mom Amaryl let me listen once and it's like standing amid a flash flood, and you have to continue to drink it all every moment, all while doing your normal business."

"If this is what I think it is, a bold claim," Dolmaya says, "But you would be right, if it is done."

[Iron Dragoon]

"From what I can tell, a One isn't like divinity. There's no prayers. Nothing of the sort. It's just you and your own power."

[Anastasia]

'Yet it can be divine. Eblis did not have faithful, but Antenora has pursued that,' Io points out.

[Iron Dragoon]

"Emily, this will be hard to hear. You need some love like Ianvasah did.

You're going to fail to be your mother. Every time. You keep trying to live up to her an you're going to fail every time.

You wanted to make your own story, so do it. You don't want to be divine, then don't. You don't want to be a One, then don't. The only way to write your own story is to to put pen to paper. The only wrong decision here is no decision.

Fortunately, you don't have to make a decision today, but you do need to start deciding what you want to do. Even if you do want to try to be a One, there's still an insane amount of preparation beforehand.

No matter what it is, you'll have my support.

Dolmaya, what's your opinion?"

[Anastasia]

"...ah..." Emily blushes bright, "That is..." Perhaps the floor will swallow her up?

"We can consider it," Dolmaya says, "How reliable is it?"

Bastian watches, arms crossed and taking in the spectacle.

[Iron Dragoon]

"Reliable. But we'll have to spend time in the far realms for it. And you'll be defenceless, so we'll have to guard you."

[Anastasia]

"Dangerous," Dolmaya says immediately, "Only the greatest madmen and fools spend time in the Beyond. Madmen!"

Io merely is there. He is merely more a moment, attention drawn to him utterly.

'Madmen?' Io asks, gently so. 'Am I mad?'

Dolmaya turns and smoothly as butter says, "Ah, I misspoke in not clarifying my intent. A dragon is not a man, naturally a dragon would be superior and able to handle such things.'

[Iron Dragoon]

"Well, I'm empowered by a dragon. That dragon, actually."

Alyssa points at Io.

"And Emily is half dragon half God. Or... However that parses out."

[Anastasia]

"It's complicated," Emily speaks up, "Ah, I'm not divine by myself. A divine child conceived faces Ao's judgment, so it's rarely done. But deities can also conceive non divine children, which aren't subject to that judgment."

[Iron Dragoon]

"Well, you're closer than any of us, I'd think. My point was the deck is as stacked in our favor as it could be."

[Anastasia]

"I'd still struggle with it I fear," Emily says quietly. "I think anyone would...except Aunt Antenora." Emily confesses. "She's always so...she just does things and they happen, even if it's impossible, like a fiend becoming an angel. At least when she's with my other aunts there."

[Iron Dragoon]

"If you don't want to try, or want to try in the future, that's fine. But that doubt of yours is now a new project for us, either way."